Just wondering on BF, do you charge all your items, use cash only, or combine the both. I usually try never to use my charge card for purchases. I use cash and/or debit card from my checking account. I find I will pay more for an item if all I have to do is pull out plastic! My one friend charges all the time and especially on BF. Needless to say she had to get a consolidated loan to pay off her cards! This year, my husband wants me to charge everything so I won't have tons of cash on me and then we will pay it off in January once the bill comes in. Now how many times does something happen and you can't do this! I've heard of christmas charge card bills being in the hundreds to thousands! I have a lot of people to buy for, but we all agree not to go over a certain amount. I think I may charge a bigger item or two, but try to pay cash for the rest. What about you guys?

This is a great thread :)

We use a credit card but don't go crazy spending $3,000 or anything like that. If I buy a new HDTV the max I'll go is $2,000 including stand.

I am the same way. Unless it's a big item, I usually use cash. I do take my plastic with me just in case though! ;)

In the past I've used either cash or my debit card...no credit. This year, depending on what's out there, I may use credit too, but only a hundred dollars of it or so. Something I can pay right back down the next month.

I just carry my driver's license and a CC. The first year I went, I dropped $60 at the register, and by the time I bent down to get it, it was gone.

Since I payed off my credit cards and cancelled all of them twice- never again . I only use my debit card and gift cards and cash on BF.

In the past I've used either cash or my debit card...no credit. This year, depending on what's out there, I may use credit too, but only a hundred dollars of it or so. Something I can pay right back down the next month.

Same here.

Last year I used debit card but this year we don't have one so it'll be cash only. I think I like it better since that way we don't have to worry about any bills coming in or anything like that:yay:

Have any of you considered getting a Visa or American Express Traveler's card, instead of carrying cash? It would be a whole lot more secure, and you wouldn't have to let people see that you are carrying a large amount of cash. Also, you pay for it with funds you already have, so you're not putting yourself into CC debt.

I haven't done it, but it was a thought I had just now. Seems to make sense to me.

I use my credit card for most purchases. I went crazy at BestBuy last year and used their credit card because it had interest free financing for a year.

I pay with it all in cash...I was thinking maybe just getting gift cards this yr each time I go to walmart and then wont have to take so much money with me...jut the gift cards..lol...

I carry some cash for the little purchases here and there and then the rest I pay for with my debit card. It makes it easier to see how much I have spent that day. I can just sit down at the computer BF night and figure out how much I dropped that day. Of course I usually already know pretty close to how much I spent in my head.

usually cash or a check. I have gotten stuck behind to many people using credit cards that take forever to go through since everyone is charging that day.

we do cash or check but even better is laya way

Credit cards are so much easier. I would lose the cash if it was in my pocket.

Debit card - quicker than writing a check and I don't have to worry about dropping any cash.

Just wondering on BF, do you charge all your items, use cash only, or combine the both.


I use my debit or credit card and always pay off the next month for my credit! Last year hubby and I had a good amount of cash, which he took with him and I used the debit so we didn't bounce anything. But usually, he has the debit and I have credit. Thank God, he doesn't have any major credit cards!! :rotflol:

Debit card and Best Buy Bucks ;)

-Mark-

Debit cards for me also. I'll carry some cash, maybe $100 bucks or so but I usually try to hang on to it.

Debit card. I don't do credit cards at all.

Debit card only here! Hubby has credit cards from before we got married but I haven't used credit cards for years!

I am putting money in a special savings account between now and BF. A few days prior I will transfer it to checking and go hog wild with debit card! :bounce_fl

What's nice is our credit union gives us kickbacks on anything we buy with the debit if we run it through as credit. Nice little savings kickback that we get each year.

In fact, I'm expecting $125 at the end of the month. Guess what I'm saving that money for? :)

I'll use the debit and credit card this year.

I have my VISA at the same credit union my savings acount is. I just put back what I spend from savings onto the card the following week. I also have store cards, and on BF you can get discounts there as well. Just remember to pay them off quickly or you will be stuck with all of that interest!

Cash is so risky. And there are so many people out there looking to steal on this mega-shopping day. I can't imagine toting around a few hundred bucks and it all being stolen.

debit card/cash for me too.

No Credit card here. I use my debit card and cash. The only problem with my debit card is that my bank has a daily limit on it. So leaves the rest to cash. Checks take way too long on this day.

I use mostly cash, but I do use cc's. I actually have thought about the visa pre paid card but you have to pay a fee everytime you use it. I think it is like .50 but still that is alot.

I'm a cash only person. I have no CC's to use.

Cash only. That way I don't get carried away and charge too much. I get really excited and don't think too clearly so if I even took the debit card I would spend too much. If I take cash only, I know my limits and can't go over them.

I try to avoid carrying cash on me 98% of the time. On Black Friday, I only carry my Visa check card and Mastercard check card. One year, I got the Target instant credit just to get my discount on my BF purchases but haven't used it since. With the check cards, I know going into the stores how much I have to spend and CAN'T go over. :yay:

I have used a combo in the past including cc but they got me into some seroius trouble. Now I don't have any so I will be doing cash and debit card.

I usually know beforehand what I have to spend and what items I want.. so I generally carry cash .. If I have the cards with me, Im more able to overspend so this is my way of keeping the costs down..

Me, too. I usually don't carry my purse, just put cell phone, walkie talkie, and money in a fanny bag I bought a couple of years ago to take to the casino. lol

I usually use cash or my debit card. The interesting thing was that last year at our Walmart they were asking for ID if you were using a credit or debit cards. I guess they must have had some problems.

I bought a little carry case that fits into my pocket. I can fit my debit/charge card and id, and some cash. My husband feels better about me going out now. He was worried about me standing in line at 2 in the morning with a purse. I can understand that though

We usually use cash. But put most everything on Lay - A _ Way at Walmart because they are usually bigger items or all the toys and gadgets that we don't want the kids to find. This way we can pay it all off except for a few dollars to hold it on lay a way and then we do not need to go and pick it up until it is pretty close to Christmas!! We use them as our hiding spot and we dont have to have everything cluttering the house or trying to stay hidden from little eyes for a month!

I will be carrying my purse. Cause if things go in my pocket, I get panicky.
BUT it wont be my usual purse.

I'll either use my fanny pack or my jacket pockets and I think I'll use cash this year--last year the CC machines were SOOOOO slow that I felt I was wasting time!!!

thats true. Im hoping to initially use cash then debit when the money is gone. I don't like charging, but will IF I have a big ticket item

:razz: Credit all the way. Fortunately we pay our cc off every month so I treat it as a free loan and I get cash back on my purchases. I am always aware of how much I have spent and my husband checks the cc account online all the time. He will question any charges outside of the norm so it's a little check and balance system on me. Plus, if I change my mind on items, I can return them before the end of the bill cycle without ever taking a hit on my cash flow.

Thats great if you can pay it off every month. Something always comes up where I can't do that so thats why I opt to use debit from checking and/or cash. Never fails. We buy something saying we'll pay it off when the bill comes in. In the mean time, something happens with the car or house. Then we get the extra charges. RIght now its paid off, but I will use it if I have too

We use our credit card for everyday purchases at the gas station, grocery store, etc...so BF isn't anything different to us. Our trick it to always stay on budget and have a healthy savings account to back us up for life's little emergencies. It took a long time to get to this point but it's wonderful to be here. That said, I don't get to go hog wild. We have an Xmas budget and I have to stick to it or risk not being able to do other things we have planned. Oh and the wrath of hubby who hates watching the money go out no matter how much is coming in.

I use my debit card...It's much easier to use. I don't use a credit card any more. A couple of years ago, I would say "I'll charge it and pay off next month"...I never did...lol...once I got that credit card paid off, I said "never again". I'm a compulsive shopper and I can't handle the responsiblity of a credit card...lol...so debit card for me all the way.

Just regular cash, lol.

I mainly use cash but in cause of good deal finds i take my credit cards.

We usually use cash. But put most everything on Lay - A _ Way at Walmart because they are usually bigger items or all the toys and gadgets that we don't want the kids to find. This way we can pay it all off except for a few dollars to hold it on lay a way and then we do not need to go and pick it up until it is pretty close to Christmas!! We use them as our hiding spot and we dont have to have everything cluttering the house or trying to stay hidden from little eyes for a month!

That's what we do as well.

I charge everything Its faster and easier then carrying cash and safer too

I charge everything Its faster and easier then carrying cash and safer too

last year it seemed a LOT slower--I used my debit card for everything and the wait time at Wal Mart timed out while trying to get it approved--that's why I'm using Cash this year!!

dont have a credit card anymore :) :) :) so I use cash, debit, or gift cards

you know I don't guess I ever thought about people taking my purse!!! I generally tkae my purse and use my checkbook mostly. after reading this thread I think I'll just use my debit card!!!:g_dance:

I only use the debit card, I find that it's the easiest way to go

I have never done lay a way before, but there is a large item I just cannot store at the house. Its at Walmart. Its a leather tv chair for my son when he plays his video games. I just don't want it damaged either.

I use a credit card all the time. Easy to dispute in case of any disagreements or anything like that. But, I'll also carry cash out in different pockets so I can buy a couple of thigns that involve only one rebate per household. Give a friend the money to pay for it, then he just hands me the rebate and copy of the receipt for me to deal with.

I use a debit card but run it as credit incase their is anything I need to dispute or warranty problems, etc.

I also got money back for running it as credit! And that money goes to after christmas sales shopping!

Strictly cash! I don't stick to a budget very well and this way I can't overspend. When it's gone, it's gone and I go home.

I work at a bank, so I have a seperate checking account just for christmas shopping, it doesn't earn interest, but come with a free visa check card. I have money auto transferred into the account every paycheck and then I don't have to worry. A great thing about debit cards is that they are guarenteed like cc. It is pretty easy to dispute fraudulant charges and you can close it immediately over the phone if you lose it.(unlike if you were to lose your checkbook!!) Plus, if you go to visaextras.com you can enroll your debit card to earn points!!!

Carrie